MTM 102

“By the way….”

It was as they lingered in each other’s warm embrace that Zed’s eyes sparkled and his gaze turned to a distant place.

“There are some “people” who have been spying on us for a while now.”

“Uh?”

Following Zed’s gaze, Harto looked beyond the grass and saw Spi, Mir, and Krom. Their cheeks were flushed like Harto’s, and their eyes sparkled brightly.

“Ah, those are… my elements.”

“Elements? You mean the powers you can use, Harto?”

“That’s right.”

The three elementals jumped and squeaked in joy at being recognized by Harto and Zed.

“Spi, Mir, and Krom, in order.”

When Harto excitedly introduced them, Zed smiled as he carefully examined the elements’ appearances. All three looked harmless and resembled Harto so much.

“How did you do it? Did you make it with your powers, Harto?”

“No, that’s Ser….”

“Ser?”

The moment the unfamiliar name left Harto’s mouth, Zed’s gaze turned fierce. Harto immediately shut his mouth. Only then did he realize Zed didn’t particularly enjoy hearing about other people.

“That’s… there’s someone I want to introduce to you,…”

As Harto watched him closely and whispered in a small voice, Zed’s expression gradually softened. How did they meet? He didn’t want to embarrass Harto with petty jealousy.

“Yes, definitely introduce him to me, Harto.”

Zed answered, then hugged Harto tighter and closed his eyes.

“I will. I have a lot to tell Zed.”

“Really? Then I guess I have to listen even if we stay up all night.”

“Oh, that won’t do. You must be really tired from coming all the way here… We can talk about it tomorrow.”

“Mm….”

Just hearing Harto chattering in his arms brought a smile to Zed’s lips.

“What about Leon and Allen? Everyone’s doing well, right?”

“…….”

“Zed…?”

There was no answer. He was wondering if he should not have asked that question, when suddenly, a weight fell on his shoulder.

“Krung!”

At the same time, Krom shouted at Harto. A blue light flashed in the distance, and someone was running towards them.

“Zed! Zed! Where are you?!”

It was Leon. Harto was so happy he tried to get up, but Zed, who was holding him, didn’t move. He was frozen solid, like a large rock.

“Zed, Leon is coming… Zed?”

Zed was sound asleep, sitting with his back against the tree, his eyes closed and a smile on his face.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

Tap, tap… .

In a sanctuary far below, deep within the Regnovar Empire’s imperial palace. Bernak walked silently through the area that Magnus visited as frequently as the tall towers of the palace. Although it was hidden from view by the silver mask he wore, which was fashioned like a bird’s beak, his impatient expression was evident with every step he took.

“Bernak.”

The moment he stepped into the gloomy sanctuary, devoid of any light, the crown prince, who had been standing with his back turned, immediately noticed his presence.

“Lord Magnus….”

Thump.

Bernak knelt on the icy floor. Unable to raise his head, he exhaled with a guilty expression.

“I have no more… face to show….”

He should have found the black monster first… There was no point in making any more excuses. He knew that the Crown Prince had already given him one last chance. Despite this, Bernak still felt the urge to protest.

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Yes…?”

The tone was surprisingly gentle, and Bernak lifted his head. Magnus turned to Bernak as he stood in front of the sanctuary’s altar. The Crown Prince’s expression remained neutral, as if he didn’t care, despite his assumption that this time he wouldn’t just ignore it.

“That monster has some extraordinary abilities.”

When he suddenly mentioned the existence of a lowly monster, Bernak’s heart sank.

“Could… Could it be, the fragment of the Demon God…?”

“That’s correct.”

Bernak’s eyes shook aimlessly at Magnus’ claim.

‘This can’t be…Is this really true… ?’

Fragment of the Demon God. That was the name Crown Prince Magnus had arbitrarily given. In reality, the fragments were nothing more than pieces of the Demon King’s body, scattered 300 years ago when he was sealed for his mortal sins. However, Magnus called them “Fragments of the Demon God” and believed them to be remnants of divine power.

There was only one reason for that belief. Among the scattered fragments, the ‘Demon King’s Essence’ was located here, in the sanctuary of the Regnovar Empire’s imperial palace.

The Emperor showed Magnus, who had been crowned crown prince, the imperial treasure that had been sealed and preserved for 300 years. He was completely captured by this strange and terrifying artifact, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

He firmly believed it possessed the power to rival Ares Carseon, the only one with holy power in the imperial family. To Magnus, the Demon King was not a calamity, but an absolute being capable of upending the order of this world, and the fragments of his flesh were like a divine grace.

That belief soon turned into faith mixed with madness and certainty.

‘You must find the fragments of the Demon God and break the Demon King’s seal.’

Three years ago, shortly after the disappearance of the Seventh Prince Ares Carseon, Magnus summoned Igner sorcerers to the palace, as if he had been waiting for it. They were illusionists who practiced ancient dark magic and knew about the Demon God’s Fragments.

However, rather than knowing, it was more like a fabricated doctrine designed to exploit the crown prince’s devotion. The sorcerers whispered that the power of the fragments could only be wielded by a “chosen one” like Magnus, and that the crown prince was the vessel needed for the successor to the Demon God, the sealed Demon King, to gain a new body and be resurrected.

Magnus took these words as his mission, and eventually came to believe that by putting the fragments together he could regain the power he had never enjoyed.

His persecution of all blondes across the empire stemmed from his distorted beliefs. He believed golden hair was a mark of divine blessing, and he believed it was right to eliminate all others.

Defeating Ares Carseon, who possessed the holy power, was in itself a way to prove that he was the only successor chosen by the Demon God.

The crown prince was crazy.

But the rumors quickly died down. He showed no mercy to anyone who dared to rebel. With the Emperor’s health deteriorating by the day, and the throne at any moment awaiting him, no one dared dare defy the Crown Prince.

Bernak was one of them. In the past, he was one of the Igner sorcerers, who had exploited their misguided beliefs to manipulate the Crown Prince. However, Magnus was no easy opponent. He used the Demon King’s essence to burn the sorcerers to death, and Bernak barely survived the flames, losing one eye.

There was only one reason for keeping him alive.

‘One eye is enough to witness the succession of the Demon God.’

“Haha….”

The crown prince walked back towards the altar with a smile.

“That monster… has a fragment of the Demon God….”

He raised his head with a somewhat ecstatic expression and muttered.

Magnus’s gaze landed on the altar wall, where what dripped down was not water, but blood. On the altar wall, incomprehensible ancient scripts were carved as if scraped with a rough blade, and the severed heads of blond figures hung on barbed wire.

It was disgusting just to look at, but Bernak bit his lip and barely managed to hold it in.

“So even Ares turns out to be useful.”

Magnus smiled self-deprecatingly, dipping his finger in the blood-soaked golden goblet on the altar and drew a sign on his forehead. Dark red blood trickled slowly down his temples.

“It certainly seems like God is on my side. Isn’t that right, Bernak?”

Bernak bowed in agreement. Magnus then knelt before the altar with a smile. He ignored the blood that flowed from the altar soaking his knees, offering a devout prayer. Dozens of candles ignited simultaneously, dripping blood-tinged wax onto the altar.

“…….”

Bernak, who had been watching the scene, could no longer bear it and turned his gaze away.

Anyone could see that it wasn’t a god. Or perhaps a demon? Or maybe not even that… It was simply a ritual worshipping something indescribable.